


Dreaming of a Wakandan Christmas

by Meilan_Firaga



Series: 25 Days of Christmas Fics - 2016 [4]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Fluff, Gen, Holidays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-04
Updated: 2016-12-04
Packaged: 2018-09-06 11:55:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8749810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meilan_Firaga/pseuds/Meilan_Firaga
Summary: Wakanda isn't a Christian nation, so Steve and his companions aren't exactly surrounded by the Christmas spirit. It's also hot since the nation is in the middle of a jungle summer. Some things aren't so bad, though. Clint's wife has has some insistent conversations, and the Wakandan king has a surprise for the heroes in hiding.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Day 4 of my 2016 attempt at 25 Days of Christmas Fics.
> 
> Prompt 4: Shoveling Snow

Now matter how much he understood why staying in Wakanda during the holidays was the better option, Steve still couldn’t get over going through Christmas in a jungle summer. He’d spent Christmas abroad before. World War II didn’t exactly go on hold for the holidays, but even then it had been different. In war torn Europe most of the countries also celebrated the holiday and the weather had been comparable. In Wakanda the days were humid and no one but his small pack of ostracized super heroes paid any mind to the approaching date on the calendar.

Clint, at least, was making the situation entertaining. His wife had put in a request for holiday visas for herself and the children for two weeks around Christmas and New Year’s. No one even knew that Clint had been in touch with his family, much less told them where he’d be laying low for the rest of the year. T’Challa had, naturally, been a little upset. There was a chance that the American government would see the Barton’s coming to visit and assume that Wakanda was harboring known fugitives. It could result in an unmitigated diplomatic disaster.

“First of all,” Clint explained when the king came to berate him, “the government has no knowledge of my family unless Tony’s opened his big mouth to tell them. There is no record of them in relation to me anywhere. Pretty sure Tony isn’t actually that big of a dick.” He turned the arrow he was sharpening in his hands, checking the point before setting it aside and taking up another. “Secondly, if the government does know you can always put a ‘reaching out to the lonely family of known criminals’ kind of spin on it. Laura knows how to play along.” He set everything down then, staring hard into T’Challa’s eyes. “Finally, I have never missed a Christmas with my family. Laura has dragged those kids halfway across the world before to make sure we spend it together.  _ You _ try telling her that she can’t bring them here to make that happen this year. I wish you the best of luck.”

From everything he saw in the days that followed, Steve came to three conclusions. One, that Clint was by far not the head of his small loving family. Two, that T’Challa was a wonderful ruler with strong diplomatic abilities. And three, that Laura Barton was a force to be reckoned with. She and the children were scheduled to land on December 21st. Apparently, they were also scheduled to land with a little lady named Cassie Lang and her mother and stepfather. News outlets the world over were praising the Wakandan government for offering a safe haven for the families of those former heroes who’d rejected the Accords. Steve was enthralled. Clint simply reminded everyone that he’d married the best damn girl on the planet.

Several days later, Steve found himself being ferried into the jungle by T’Challa and his body guards along with his team. They were secured in the back of a covered truck, hidden from view of anything that might pass by overhead. The truck wound along curving roads deep beneath the canopy of the forest before it finally came to a halt. T’Challa himself opened the back of the truck to let them out.

“This,” he explained, gesturing to the massive structure before them, “is a biodome.” The building was a perfect half sphere emerging from the ground. It was several stories tall, though it’s highest point was several meters below the tops of the trees, making it perfectly invisible from aerial surveillance. “We have many of them placed all over the jungle. We use them to study the effects of climate and to observe foreign wildlife in their natural habitats. They reflect real time weather patterns from their counterparts around the world.” 

“That’s great,” Scott said, nodding along. Steve braced himself for a blunt delivery. “Why are we here?” Wanda elbowed Scott in the ribs. “Ow!”

With impressive patience, T’Challa just smiled at them. “At the center of each biodome is a research station. Each station includes quarters for individuals, partners, and families for a total occupancy of thirty or so people. There are also communal spaces for gatherings including a large industrial kitchen. This is our newest biodome, and has yet to be occupied by any researchers.” Sam clapped a hand over Scott’s mouth before he could interrupt with another question. “It was brought to my attention--quite insistently while I was being convinced to grant a certain handful of travel visas--that your December holidays involve some form of gift giving. I would like to give you all the use of this biodome and its living quarters until the new year.” He smiled again, gesturing for them to step through the door. 

Inside the entryway, the temperature was much cooler than anticipated. Steve felt a shiver of anticipation and excitement crawl up his spine. T’Challa hadn’t told them where this biodome was reflecting a climate from. The entryway was a station for a series of programmable rail cars. Following the direction of the king’s bodyguards, Steve and the others filed into one of the rail cars and took their seats. After several moments of fidgeting, the car lurched into motion down a tunnel and emerged into a winter wonderland. Snow fell heavily all around them, and the top of the dome reflected a dull gray sky.

“This biodome is based on Stockholm, Sweden,” T’Challa announced. “It will give you--” he paused, searching his memory for the correct turn of phrase. “I believe the proper phrase is a ‘white Christmas.’” He shrugged, looking about. “I must admit, there is a certain beauty in it. I can see why Mrs. Barton said she would miss having snow for her holiday.” Here, the Wakandan king turned a cheeky smirk on them all. “Though, Clint, I am sorry to say that you won’t get to escape shoveling the walk once she arrives.”

**Author's Note:**

> So, I'm paranoid. My goal was to make T'Challa sound as though he was aware of Christmas but really disinterested because, let's face it, there's no point in being interested in Christmas in a closed off nation that doesn't celebrate it. However, I'm terrified that I just made him sound stupid about it. So, if it comes across that way please let me know and I will try to rewrite it.


End file.
